Marseille is a French dramaweb television series created by Dan Franck starring Gérard Depardieu. The series is the first French language original production for Netflix, which ordered the project to series on July 10, 2015. The eight-episode first season premiered worldwide on Netflix on May 5, 2016.[2][3] A second season was ordered on June 6, 2016.[4] Production for the second season commenced on April 18, 2017.[5] The second season debuted in February 2018.[6] Netflix cancelled the show after 2 seasons.[7]

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After 20 years as mayor of Marseille, Robert Taro (Depardieu) enters into a war of succession with his former protégé turned rival Lucas Barres (Benoît Magimel).[8][9] Both men are members of the "UPM" party, based on the centre-right UMP (Union for a Popular Movement).

There is to be an important vote on a regeneration project of the city's waterfront, which will include a casino. Mayor Robert Taro supports the proposal as it will be his legacy to Marseille; he is counting on the support of Lucas Barrès, his ambitious young deputy, who eventually votes to oppose the proposal. A retired judge, who was also going to support the proposal, is approached and assassinated by gangsters. Taro's daughter Julia, a journalist, is trying to investigate life in the banlieues.

2

2

"Homme de Paille (Straw Man)"

Florent Emilio Siri

Dan Franck

May 5, 2016 (2016-05-05)

Taro is unsure about whether to stand for re-election due to his ill health and declining popularity with voters. His wife, Rachel, learns that she has syringomyelia which will bring an end to her career as a successful classical cellist.

In France, the series received a mostly negative reaction from the press. Pierre Sérisier, writing for Le Monde, called it an "industrial accident".[11] Télérama gave the series a "red card",[12] while Alain Carrazé on Europe 1 referred to it as something from "the 90s" with "cartoonish and ridiculous dialogue".[13]